Indian Forest Service Old Question Papers

Can you provide me the UPSC IFS (Union Public Service Commission Indian Forest Service) Geology Syllabus on which the question paper is based?

[sumit]

The UPSC IFS (Union Public Service Commission Indian Forest Service) Geology Syllabus on which the question paper is based is as follows:

Paper - I

Section-A

(i) General Geology: The Solar System, meteorities, origin and interior of the
earth. Radioactivity and age of earth; Volcanoes-causes and products,
volcanic belts.Earthquakes-causes, effects, earthquake belts, seismicity of
India, intensity and magnitude,seismongraphs. Island arcs, deep sea
trenches and mid-ocean ridges. Continental drift-evidences and mechanics;
sea-floor spreading, plate tectonics. Isostasy, orogeny and epeirogeny.
Continents and oceans.

(ii) Geomorphology and Remote Sensing: Basic concepts of
geomorphology.Weathering and mass wasting. Landforms, slopes and
drainage. Geomorphic cycles and their interpretation, Morphology and its
relation to structures and lithology. Applications of geomorphology in mineral
prospecting, civil engineering, hydrology and environmental studies.
Geomorphology of Indian sub-continent.

Aerial photographs and their interpretationmerits and limitations.The
Electromagnetic Spectrum. Orbiting satellites and sensor systems.Indian
Remote Sensing Satellites. Satellites data products. Applications of remote
sensing in geology.The Geographic Information System and its applications.
Global Positioning System.

(iii) Structural geology: Principles of geologic mapping and map reading,
projection diagrams, stress andstrain ellipsoid and stress-strain relationships
of elastic, plastic and viscous materials. Strain markers in deformed rocks.
Behaviour of minerals and rocks under deformation conditions. Folds and
faults classification and mechanics.Structural analysis of folds, foliations,
lineations, joints and faults, unconformities. Superposed deformation. Time –
relationship between crystallization and deformation. Introduction to
petrofabrics.

Section- B

(iv) Paleontology: Species definition and nomenclature.Megafossils and
Microfossils. Modes of preservation of fossils. Different kinds of micro
fossils. Application of microfossils in correlation, petroleum exploration,
paleo-climatic and pale oceanographic studies, Morphology, geological
history and evolutionary trend in Cephalopoda, Trilobita, Brachiopoda, Echi-
noidea and Anthozoa, Stratigraphic utility of Ammonoidea, Trilobita and
Graptoloidea, Evolutionary trend in Hominidae, Equidae and Probo-scidae.
Siwalik fauna, Gondwana flora and its importance.

(v) Stratigraphy and Geology of India: Classification of stratigraphic
sequences: lithostratigraphic, biostratigraphic, chronostratigraphic and
magnetostratigraphic and their interrelationships. Distribution and
classification of Precambrian rocks of India. Study of stratigraphic
distribution and lithology of Phanerozoic rocks of India with reference to
fauna, flora and economic importance. Major boundary problems -
Cambrian/Precambrian, Permian/ Triassic, Cretaceous/Tertiary and Pliocene/
Pleistocene. Study of climatic conditions, paleogeography and igneous
activity in the Indian subcontinent in the geological past. Tectonic framework
of India. Evolution of the Himalayas.

(vi) Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology: Hydrologic cycle and genetic
classification of water. Movement of subsurface water, Springs. Porosity,
permeability, hydraulic conductivity, transmissivity and storage coefficient,
classification of aquifers.Water-bearingcharacteristics of rocks. Ground-water
chemistry. Salt water intrusion.Types of wells.Drainage basin morphometry.
Exploration for groundwater. Groundwater recharge. Problems and
management of groundwater, Rainwater harvesting. Engineering properties
of rocks. Geological investigations for dams, tunnels and bridges. Rock as
construction material. Alkali-aggregate reaction. Landslides causes,
prevention and rehabilitation. Earthquake-resistant structures.

Paper - II

Section-A

(i) Mineralogy: Classification of crystals into systems and classes of
symmetry. International system of crystallographic notation. Use of
projection diagrams to represent crystal symmetry. Crystal defects.
Elements of xray crystallography. Petrological microscope and accessories.
Optical properties of common rock forming minerals. Pleochroism, extinction
angle, double refraction, birefringence, twinning and dispersion in minerals.
Physical and chemical characters of rock forming silicate mineral groups.
Structural classification of silicates. Common minerals of igneous and
metamorphic rocks. Minerals of the caronate, phosphate, sulphide and halide
groups.

(ii) Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology: Generation and crystallisation of
magma. Crystallisation of albite-anorthite, diopside-anorthite and
diopsidewollastonite- silica systems. Reaction principle. Magmatic
differentiation and assimilation. Petrogenetic significance of the textures and
structures of igneous rocks. Petrography and petrogenesis of granite,
syenite, diorite, basic and ultrabasic groups, charnockite, anorthosite and
alkaline rocks. Carbonatites. Deccan volcanic province. Types and agents of
metamorphism. Metamorphic grades and zones. Phase rule. Facies of
regional and contact metamorphism. ACF and AKF diagrams. Textures and
structures of metamorphic rocks. Metamorphism of arenaceous, argillaceous
and basic rocks. Minerals assemblages, Retrograde metamorphism.
Metasomatism and granitisation, migmatities, granulite terrains of India.

(iii) Sedimentology: Sedimentary rocks: Processes of formation, diagenesis
and lithification, Properties of sediments. Clastic and nonclastic rocks-their
classification, petrography and depositional environment, Sedimentary facies
and provenance. Sedimentary structures and their significance. Heavy
minerals and their significance. Sedimentary basins of India.

Section-B

(iv) Economic Geology: Ore, ore minerals and gangue, tenor of ore,
classification of ore deposits. Process of formation of minerals deposits.
Controls of ore locallisation. Ore textures and structures, Metallogenic epochs
and provinces, Geology of the important Indian deposits of aluminium,
chromium, copper, gold, iron, lead, zinc, manganese, titanium, uranium and
thorium and industrial minerals. Deposits of coal and petroleum in India.
National Mineral Policy. Conservation and utilization of mineral resources.
Marine mineral resources and Law of Sea.

(v) Mining Geology: Methods of prospecting-geological, geophysical, geo-
chemical and geo-botanical, Techniques of sampling. Estimation of reserves
of ore, Methods of exploration and mining metalic ores, industrial minerals
and marine mineral resources. Mineral beneficiation and ore dressing.

(vi) Geochemistry and Environmental Geology: Cosmic abundance of
elements, Composition of the planets and meteorites, Structure and
composition of earth and distribution of elements, Trace elements, Elements
of crystal chemistry – types of chemical bonds, coordination number,
Isomorphism and polymorphism, Elementary thermodynamics. Natural
hazards-floods, landslides, coastal erosion, earthquakes and volcanic activity
and mitigation, Environmental impact of urbanization, open cast mining,
industrial and radioactive waste disposal, use of fertilizers, dumping of mine
waste and fly-ash. Pollution of ground and surface water, marine
pollution,environment protection-legislative measures in India.